Window fastener



Sept. 29, 1925.

J. ARMSTRONG WINDOW FASTENER Filed July 5,. 1924 I INVENTOR;

M W, B

A TTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 29, 192.5.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH ARMSTRONG, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

WINDOW FASTENER.

Application filed July 3,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH ARMSTRONG, a subject of the King of England, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, have invented a new and useful lVindow Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for securing or fastening windows when part way open for ventilation purposes, and consists essentially of peculiarly constructed, wedge-shaped plates, one of which is securely attached to the inner face of either the rightor left-hand side rail of an upper window sash, while the other is pivotally connected with the first and capable of being turned up into operative position or turned down into operative position, together with such other parts and members as may be necessary or desirable in order to render the fastener complete and serviceable in every respect, all as hereinafter set forth.

The primary object of my invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive yet strong and durable fastener by means of which windows can be secured when partially open, such fastener being readily attachable to without mutilation of the window, and very convenient to operate, inasmuch as a single movement imparted by the finger to the moveable plate is all that is required either to lock or release the window.

Preferably my fastener is attached to one of the side rails of the upper sash about eight inches above the meeting-rail of said sash, since it is then possible to secure said sash in such a manner as to leave an eight inch opening at the top, or to secure the lower sash in such a manner as to leave an eight inch openingat the bottom, or to secure the two sashes so that there is a four inch opening at the top and a four inch opening at the bottom. Thus it is seen that the windows or either of them can be opened to the extent and in the manner most suitable in order to obtain the amount 0f ventilation needed, but without in any case having an 1924. Serial No. 723,892.

opening large enough for anyone to enter from the outside.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the following description.

I attain the objects and secure the advantages of my invention by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a front elevation of a window fastener which embodies a practical form of my invention, the same being shown attached to a fragmentary portion of an upper window sash and in operative or looking position (in full lines) relative to a fragmentary portion of a lower window sash; Fig. 2, a side elevation of said fastener showing the same disposed in inoperative position or unlocked, and said portions of said sashes in section and the lower sash in the act of passing the fastener, or the fastener in the act of passing the lower sash, as the case may be; Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section through said fastener and sashes, taken on lines 33, looking in the direction of the associated arrow, in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4, a rear elevation of the fastener.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the first three views portions of the :following parts and members of a window appear:, The right-hand side of the frame at 1, the right-hand side rail and the meeting-rail of the upper window at 2 and 4:, respectively, and the parting-bead at 7 These parts and members are common to practically all windows which include upper and lower sliding sashes.

The fastener comprises a fixed or stationary plate 8 and a moveable plate 9. Each of these plates is shaped generally like a wedge, and said plates are pivotally connected adjacent to their thin ends, as will presently more fully appear. The plate 8 at the thick end is beveled on the front face from above downwardly and rearwardly, as represented at 10, and the plate 9. at the thick end is similarly beveled on the front face, as represented at 11. Upper and lower, transverse openings are provided in the plate 8 to re- IRA ceive two screws 12 and 13, respectively, and a transverse opening is provided in the plate 9 also to receive said screw 12. The openings for the screw 12 are adjacent to the thin ends of the two plates. The opening in the plate 9 and the lower opening in the plate 8 may be countersunk to receive the heads of the screws 12 and 13, and the head of said screw 12 is thin so as not to project beyond the plane common to the major projecting parts of the faces of the plates, otherwise said lastnamed head would interfere with the passing of the side rail 5 when the lower sash is raised, or the passing of-the fastener by said side rail when the upper sash is lowered, and the plate 9 is disposed in inoperative position.

The plates 8 and 9, being wedge-shaped and pivot-ally connected adjacent to their thin ends, and assuming that they have generally similar proportions, are, when opening out so to speak, or arranged in substantial alignment with each other, (the inoperative position), contained between two parallel planes which are separated by a distance that is equal only to the major thickness of either plate, but, when arranged with the back side of one in contact with the front side of the other throughout practically the entire length of the plates, (the operative position), the plates occupy a space defined by two parallel planes that are twice as far apart as in the first instance. It follows, therefore, that, when the plate 9 is swung on the pivot or screw 12 down in front of the plate 8, the former plate is caused to project at the thick end beyond the thick end of the latter plate a distance equal to the thickness of the said first-named thick end.

The plate 8 may be termed a base plate and the plate. 9 a lock plate.

To install this fastener, it is simply neces sary to attach, by means of the screws 12 and 13, the base plate 8 to either the rightor left-hand side rail (2) of the upper window sash the required distance (preferably some eight inches) above the meeting-rail 4 of said sash, and a sufficient distance from the adjacent parting-bead 7 to enable the lock plate 9, which it is to be understood is loosely mounted on said screw 12 outside of said base plate, to be swung over against said parting-bead, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The fastener here is attached to the left-hand side of the window, as previously indicated.

' If desired, a guard plate 14 may be applied to the top of the side rail 5 of the lower window sash, in the position to receive the thick end of the lock plate 9, when said lock plate is operatively disposed and said sash is lowered or the lower sash is raised, and thus protects said side rail and prevents the same from being marred or otherwise injured by said lock plate. The plate 14,

. clearance between said overhang and the adjacent side rail 2. The divergently beveled parts 10 and 11 facilitate the passing of the side rail 5 and the fastener, and obviate any liability of said fastener at either end to catch on or'be caught by the overhang of said side rail, as will be readily seen.

In practice, the lock plate 9 is rocked on the screw 12 over to the right, from the dotted line position in Fig. 1, and permitted to swing down by gravity in front of the base plate 8. The plate 9 now occupies the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, and in Fig. 3, and projects over the guard plate 14.

f course, the lower window must at this time be down far enough at least to enable the plate 9 to be thrown into locking position above the side rail 5.

It is clear from the foregoing that now the lower window can be raised only so far as .the fastener wil permit, after the upper window is raised as far as possible, and said upper window can be lowered only so far as the fastener will permit, after the lower window is lowered as far as possible, but both windows may be opened distances the sum of which equals the distance which either window alone can be opened.

To unlock the window, swing the plate 9 to the right, up, and over to the left, until the then left-hand upper corner of the same comes to rest against the parting-bead 7. Free movement of the window is now permitted so far as the fastener is concerned.

- More or less change in the shape, size, construction, and arrangement of some or all of parts of this device may be made, without departing from the spirit of my invention or exceeding the scope of what is claimed.

"lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As a new article of manufacture, a window fastener comprising two wedgeshaped plates arranged fiatwise relatively, and means pivotally to connect one of said .plates adjacent to its thin end with the other of said plates adjacent to its thin end and against one side thereof.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a window fastener comprising two wedgeshaped plates arranged flatwise relatively, and means pivotally to connect one of said plates ad acent to its thin end with the other end, a securing member passing through one of the perforations in said base plate, and a securing member passing through the perforation in said lock plate and through the other perforation in said base plate, the lock plate being loose on said last-named securing member.

JOSEPH ARMSTRONG. 

